Upper Mustang Overland Tour for 6 Days Itinerary By Jeep
Upper Mustang Overland Tour is the shortest and easiest way to explore the amazing and mystical land of Mustang. Visit the ancient city named Lo, which had its capital in Lo Manthang - the walled city where the king’s palace also lies. Trekking to Lo Manthang takes up to 3 weeks and this tour is perfect for people looking to complete the journey quickly and comfortably. The beautiful landscape of the Annapurna Conservation Area and the Restricted Area of Upper Mustang is surrounded by mountains and other natural beauty.
Upper Mustang Overland Tour is also a perfect way to learn about the isolated and fascinating culture and traditions of Thakali, Gurung and Tibetan people. Things start to get really incredible from Jomsom, a picturesque village extending from both sides of the Kali Gandaki River. Because you will be riding in a comfortable private vehicle, you won’t have to worry about the difficult ascents and descents without compromising the scenic beauty including mountains. Mustang is draped in high hills, with several high peaks that are bound to leave you captivated.
Various Buddhist artifacts, Chhortens, and monasteries lie in the villages leading to this ancient kingdom. The palace of the former king of Lo Manthang gives insight into the culture and tradition that has survived for thousands of years. Sky Caves are another famous place to visit in Mustang. These caves house mummies that date back thousands of years and other artifacts like paintings and scriptures.
This insightful and beautiful tour is filled with views of rivers, streams, monasteries, Chhortens, forests, old stone houses, caves, and welcoming people. Upper Mustang is a part of the Tibetan Plateau and makes you feel like you traveled to Tibet. The rich and unique culture here will make this even more amazing.
Upper Mustang Overland Tour takes you to the highest altitude of just around three thousand meters. This means, you have to be careful of the altitude sickness, though it's not a big risk factor. This tour can be completed at any time of the year and is perfect for people of any age or physical strength.
Upper Mustang Overland Tour Highlights
- Explore famous places like Jomsom, Kagbeni, Lo Manthang, and Muktinath
- View the majestic Kaligandaki gorge, the deepest gorge in the world
- Stay at beautiful villages in rugged terrain near chhortens, gompas, and monasteries
- Drive inside the Annapurna Conservation Area and Restricted area of Upper Mustang with a permit
- Walk past rhododendron, oak and pine forests with an opportunity to see various exotic animals
- Explore and pay homage to Muktinath temple
- Explore several caves dwellings, and houses partially built in caves
- Learn about the Tibetan Buddhism culture, the rare Bon religion and ethnic people known as Lo Pa
- Reach the ancient kingdom of Lo Manthang and visit various historical places
- Breathtaking views of mountains like Dhaulagiri, Nilgiri, Tilicho, and Annapurna I
Jomsom
Jomsom is a beautiful village in the rugged terrain of the Mustang district full of prayer wheels and Chhortens and a monastery. It is the gateway to the Mustang region. While at this village, rhododendron forests and Himalayas in the backdrop decorate the landscape. The culture of the people living here is influenced by the Tibetans performing various Buddhist rituals and prayers. Spreading to both sides of the Kaligandaki river, Jomsom is full of beautiful views and religious sites.
Lo Manthang and Sky Caves
Lo Manthang is an ancient walled kingdom and is the capital of Mustang. This mysterious place is isolated from the modern world and few tourists come here, as it was relatively recently opened to foreigners. The sky caves in Lo Manthang are one of the UNESCO tentative sites. It houses partially mummified bodies dating back several thousand years. While archaeologists started uncovering this place, they also discovered paintings, sculptures, manuscripts related to Buddhism and Bon religion.
A visit to The Royal Palace of Lo Manthang gives more insight into the ancient culture and tradition of the people of Lo.
Muktinath Temple
This sacred site is visited by both Hindus and Buddhists throughout the year. Visiting this temple and performing a ritual is believed to give you ‘Mukti’, meaning liberation from worldly pain and suffering. Here, Lord Bishnu is worshipped by Hindus, especially Vaishnavas. It is one of the eight major holy places for them. It is also considered one of the Shakti Peethas, where body parts of dead Shakti (Sati Devi) fell while being carried and taken to random places by Mahadeva. Buddhists believe that Guru Padmasambhava came to meditate here and the statue is the manifestation of Avalokiteshvara, the Compassion Buddha.
People and Culture
People living in the Mustang region are isolated from the rest of the world and to modern means of life and luxuries. They live a fairly simple life based on tourism, animal husbandry, and trade. Most of the people still speak the Tibetan language. An ethnic group of people named Thakali speak their own language and practice culture that is an amalgam of Tibetan and Nepali culture. The rare Bon religion is also practiced by some people here.
It is believed that Upper Mustang place hasn’t changed much since the founder of this kingdom Ame Pal built it. But recent development activities and communication with other regions are starting to change this place.
Glorious Views of the Himalayas
Since the beginning of the tour, the beautiful landscapes start to unveil. Rhododendron forests, mountains in the backdrop and rugged terrain make this place even more mystical. Touring inside the area of the Annapurna Conservation Area also gives you the opportunity to witness a variety of flora and fauna. Mountains of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri range with a height of more than 7000 meters can be seen. 35 other mountains higher than 6000 meters surround Mustang. Our Mustang Overland Tour is full of beautiful caves, valleys, rivers, villages, religious sites, and artifacts.
